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- As an advanced scuba diver and certified aquanaut, I've spent countless hours diving reefs and coastlines all over the world. Each and every dive I take is driven by my curiosity and the thrill of discovering what animals are hidden beneath the waves. And after all these years of scuba diving, in this video, I'm going to reveal to you the most bizarre ocean creatures I've encountered along the way. And by the time we reach the top of this list, you'll witness a creature so strange, it can literally transform its body and completely vanish right before your very eyes.
Welcome back to Brave Wilderness Wildfiles. Across the world's shallow coastal waters, sandy and muddy sea floors are home to a surprising variety of animals. During the day, these areas can appear almost empty and void of life like a giant ocean desert, but just beneath the surface lives an entire community of bizarre ocean creatures. Small cephalopods, including squid, octopus, and cuttlefish are among the creatures that rely on this habitat. But when night falls across the ocean,
these creatures emerge so they can hunt. And that's exactly about the time that I start to search for them with my camera. And then one night in Indonesia, while scanning the sea floor, I noticed a small mound that suddenly shifted. And as the sediment began to settle out, two tiny eyes began to appear. And what looked like nothing more than disturbed sand was actually one of the ocean's smallest and strangest masters of disguise, the bobtail squid. These tiny squid have rounded bodies and large forward-facing eyes, giving them a very different look from their long streamlined cousins.
Most species only grow to a few centimeters in size, but in that tiny package, they possess remarkable camouflage abilities. Like other cephalopods, they can rapidly change their color and appearance using specialized pigment cells in their skin. And this allows them to blend in almost perfectly with their surrounding environment. During the day, they lie low, remaining buried only with their eyes exposed. And when darkness takes hold, they emerge to hunt for prey like shrimp, small fish, and other tiny invertebrates. But some species of bobtail squid have an even more
unusual adaptation. Within their body, they have a specialized organ that emits light. And what this is, is actually bioluminescent bacteria that they use to produce a soft glow that shines downward from the animal's underside. And by adjusting the brightness of the light, the squid can match the faint illumination coming from the ocean's surface above. And for predators looking upward, the animal's shadow completely disappears. And this is a form of high-tech camouflage known as counter-illumination. And honestly, I've got to say, in the world of octopus and squids, nothing is as cute as the bobtail squid.
Easily one of the coolest squid I have ever encountered. And even though it was super tiny, it was really personable and gregarious. It actually hung out with me for quite a while, crawling around my dive glove and allowing me to get super close with my macro lens. But at the end of the night when it was time to say goodbye, it actually used its tiny tentacles to cover itself with sand. And that was one of my favorite shots from the entire trip. And while the bobtail squid probably ranks as the cutest squid on the planet, this next creature hiding beneath the sea floor is something far more disturbing.
And that's because it's not hiding from predators, it is the predator. The sea floor can almost be thought of as an underwater highway where small fish constantly pass through as they search for food. But buried beneath those layers of sand and sediment, something is lurky. Once again, while diving in Indonesia, I was searching for bizarre ocean creatures to film. Protruding from the sediment were several thin antenna-like strands. At first, they looked like nothing more than pieces of algae swaying in the current. But the moment a small fish passed overhead, they erupted.
Bursting up from its hidden burrow was one of the ocean's most notorious ambush predators. The bobbitworm. These long segmented predators can grow to impressive lengths with some worms growing over eight feet from tip to tail. And despite that size, their entire body remains hidden underground, making the bobbitworm extraordinarily difficult to detect. And the scariest part for sure is at the front of the worm. It's a hardened head that is armed with scissor-like jaws. It's like a tiny ocean bear trap. And when prey moves within striking distance, those jaws snap shut with incredible speed before they can escape. But you might be asking yourself,
how does the bobbitworm know when to spring the trap? Well, you know those antenna? Those are sensory organs positioned near the head that detect vibrations, chemicals, and movement from the surrounding water. These allow the bobbitworm to sense approaching prey even when they are still several feet away. Out of all the creatures I have ever filmed on dives, the bobbitworm is easily the most terrifying one. It is pure nightmare fuel. Not only is seeing one creepy with those bear trap jaws, but also watching one feed right in front of me when it snatched that scorpion fish drug it underneath the sand, the whole ocean floor moved
and undulated, clearly demonstrating a battle of epic proportions. I've got to say this, I sure would hate to be that scorpion fish. And while ambush predators like the bobbitworm rely on patience in perfect timing, the next creature on this bizarre list uses a completely different trick, fooling its prey by appearing like nothing more than floating sea debris. Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on our planet, and many of the animals that live there are incredibly small and easy to overlook. In these environments, ocean currents carry a constant stream of floating debris
that move endlessly throughout the water. And when the tide is really ripping through, a coral reef can look like a swirling cloud of floating debris. And on one particular dive in the limbe strait of Indonesia, one tiny speck caught my attention. At first, it moved with a current like everything else in the water, but then suddenly it shifted direction and gave away that it was actually a living creature. And at number six on our list, we have the incredibly stylish hairy shrimp. This tiny crustacean is covered in thin hair-like projections that resemble strands of algae, breaking up the shrimp's outline while also scattering light and softening shadows, making an effective disguise
that is extremely difficult to detect against the reef. And as the surrounding vegetation sways with the current, the shrimp sways right along with it, reinforcing the illusion that it's simply just another drifting fragment of the water. Being so teeny tiny and moving around within the water, and I'm floating too, I just remember struggling big time. So any footage that we got of that creature is almost a miracle, super cool and super unique. But the next creature on this list takes camouflage to a whole new level. And that's because this creature doesn't blend into the reef, it actually wears pieces of it all over its body.
Near the reef and across the sea floor, algae, sponges, and broken coral can create a patchwork of shapes and texture. And in this crowded landscape, survival depends on remaining completely unnoticed. And while some blend in with their bodies, other species take this strategy much, much further. And back in the Limbe Strait in Indonesia, something quite unusual caught my eye when I was crossing through the reef. A small clump of rocks and debris appeared to be slowly crawling across the sea floor. At first glance, it looked like nothing more than loose rubble shifting through the current, but when the pile suddenly changed its direction, I realized
that there was something hiding beneath. And what I was looking at wasn't debris at all. Coming in at number five on our list is the one and only decorator crab. This crab's unusual disguise begins with tiny hooked hairs that cover its shell that act like nature's Velcro. This Velcro allows it to place pieces of algae, sponge, coral, and other organisms directly to its body. And the decorations are not picked at random either. Decorator crabs will select materials that closely match the colors and textures of their home, creating a disguise that both blends in seamlessly and has a touch of style.
Some species even favor sponges and algae that contain chemical defenses, and this adds another layer of protection from its predators. And actually, sometimes these organisms remain alive and grow, making the crab a living piece of the reef. Something really cool about this particular decorator crab is that it likely is unknown to science. Most species of crustaceans in this part of Indonesia are undescribed, meaning they're not cataloged and we've never seen them before. So this particular crab is likely the first time it's ever been seen on video. And I'll never forget looking through my camera and all those individual pieces that it had selected to cover its body.
Super cool crab and probably the first and only time you will ever see this one. So of course it's super bizarre for a crab to build its own wardrobe out of other living creatures. But I have to say, the next animal on our list is even more bizarre and we're going right back to Limbe. In many coastal waters, vast seagrass meadows spread across the sea floor, sheltering countless marine animals. And in those swaying forests of slender blades, anything shaped like a strand of vegetation can disappear almost instantly. And while exploring through the sea grass of limbe, another strange occurrence caught my eye.
A single strand of sea grass seemed to be drifting a little bit differently than the rest. But when that shape slowly adjusted its position, I realized it wasn't a plant at all because hidden in the vegetation was number four on our list, the hairy pipefish. The slender fish was covered in a thin layer of filament-like appendages that resembled strands of hair, helping it blend seamlessly into the surrounding seagrass. Like its relatives, the seahorse, it also has bony armor plates beneath the skin instead of flexible scales, giving the body a very rigid and stick-like shape. And like their environment, their movement is slow and fluid.
A tiny dorsal fin on the back beats repeatedly, allowing the animal to glide gently through the vegetation without disturbing the plants around it. And when danger approaches, it can freeze and almost remain perfectly still next to other blades of grass. And using their narrow snout, the hairy pipefish can suddenly expand their mouth and create a powerful suction that could pull in any tiny crustacean or food nearby. I could film hairy pipefish all day long. Pipefish are super unusual creatures. They come in a variety of sizes, but these being so unusual with those algae-like hairs covering their body, and you could see why the hairy pipefish made it all the way
up to number four on our list. I hope you've enjoyed the strange creatures that we've shown you. From the bobbitworm to the bobtail squid, there's no shortage of surprises, but I have to say, the top three are going to blow your socks off. When we as divers look for creatures in coral reef ecosystems, we become used to scanning for familiar shapes, which could be the outline of a fish, the movement of fins, or just something moving quickly nearby. But as we've discussed on this list, not every fish looks or moves like a fish. And while diving in the limb bay strait of Indonesia, I encountered quite the rarity. At first, it looked like nothing more than a misshapen sponge resting along a rock.
But when that strange lump suddenly shifted, I realized it wasn't part of the reef. It happened to be one of the most unusual species of fish that you can find, and also one of my favorite species in the world, the hairy frogfish. This unusual predator has a rounded body, an oversized mouth, and thick, bumpy skin, making it look a whole lot more like algae or a clump of sponge than a typical fish. And now comes the most bizarre part. Instead of chasing prey, it relies on patience and timing, remaining perfectly still and waiting for the opportunity to strike. But beyond that, they don't just wait for the opportunity, they make it.
Extending from the hairy frogfish's head is a small lure that moves through the water like a tiny fishing pole. At the tip of it, there's a fleshy little appendage that looks like a swimming creature and can attract curious fish nearby to come in closer to investigate. And when they do, that's when the attack happens. These fish can spring out with surprising speed, almost too fast to see with the naked eye. This feeding strike can happen in as little as six milliseconds, making it one of the fastest feeding movements in the entire animal kingdom. And despite their size, believe it or not, the frogfish can actually consume prey up to twice its size.
You heard me right, it can eat something twice as big as its body. That's wild. Unlike most fish, the frogfish rarely swims. Instead, it moves slowly across the reef using its modified fins to function almost like legs. They also have jets behind their arms that act like a siphon to expel water from their gills. This allows the frogfish to remain incredibly still, not to scare the prey that's coming in for a closer look. The frogfish is the entire package of animal oddity, special skills, camouflage, and that bizarre movement.
The way they creep around and look and peer around objects for their prey, it's like they have a different level of personality than your average fish. And then of course is that lure, that little fishing pole that moves forward and back. It has captivated me since childhood. I remember when I was four years old, my mom would drop me off at the local aquarium store just so I could see the frogfish being fed. They have to be one of the coolest on the planet, but this one, the hairy frogfish, is the king. This is the most bizarre frogfish that lives in our world's oceans and the one that I was most excited to see in front of my camera.
So yes, my favorite animal, the frogfish, and the hairy frogfish in particular might be one of the strangest looking predators that I've ever seen on a reef, but the next creature on our list definitively proves that being bizarre doesn't always mean strange or ugly. Sometimes the unusual can manifest itself in beautiful ways. There's a very unusual group of fish that live amongst the coastal habitats and tropical waters around the world, but nothing about them would suggest they're a fish at all. In fact, as their name implies, they look a whole lot more like underwater horses from a fairytale.
Ah, yes, seahorses. They're already bizarre as it comes, but this one particular group takes things even further with their incredible variation among their species, which is exactly why this next creature is on our list at number two. And the second most bizarre creature I have ever encountered while scuba diving is the pygmy seahorse. Divers who know what they're looking for will carefully search for delicate branches of sea coral fans, and that's exactly how I found one. Once again in Limbe, clinging to the coral right in front of me was this teeny tiny little seahorse. These tiny fish only measure around two centimeters in height, meaning a fully grown adult pygmy seahorse is smaller than the average fingernail,
and their bodies are highly specialized for camouflage on this coral. Small rounded bumps cover their skin, closely resembling the polyps of the sea fans. Their coloration matches the host colony they live in almost perfectly. This near perfect match allows the animal to blend into the environment so precisely that even experienced divers may struggle to see them. Using their curled prehensile tail, these tiny seahorses can anchor themselves securely into the coral branches, and that's where they will spend almost their entire lives.
Rather than swimming freely throughout the reef, they remain attached to the same host while feeding on tiny food particles drifting past in the current. The pygmy seahorse is probably one of the most challenging creatures I have ever had to film with my camera. Not only was I at depth using a macro lens on a tripod, but because the currents were swaying those sea fans back and forth and the camera right along with it. So imagine a tiny little pygmy seahorse as being a moving target that you have to get into a narrow field of focus. So imagine trying to hit that target for long periods
of time while being washed around by the current. Talk about an incredible film task, but it was well worth the effort because look at how adorable that tiny seahorse looks up close to the camera. But now it's time to reveal the number one most bizarre creature I've ever encountered on any of my dives. Of all the animals on our list, this next group, which is found in waters all over the planet, doesn't just look physically strange. They also possess a level of intelligence that makes them seem other worldly. Unlike many creatures that rely on speed or armor, these animals survive through their awareness and extraordinary ability to adapt.
This is all supported by a highly advanced nervous system that allows them to sense and respond to their surroundings in very remarkable ways. And on this one dive, our final dive in Limbay, I'll never forget for the rest of my life coming across what looked like drifting vegetation only to reveal itself as the number one most bizarre animal I have ever encountered underwater and probably the rarest as well, the algae mimic octopus. Octopuses possess one of the most advanced camouflage systems in the entire animal kingdom. Their skin contains specialized pigment cells called chromatophores that allow them to change color almost instantly, but the color is only part of the transformation.
Beneath the skin are a set of muscles that can raise up like bumps, ridges, or spikes all along their body, allowing the animal to alter their texture to resemble rocks, coral, or in this case, even a plant. And what a magical encounter. In fact, at the time of the filming of this footage, this was the most expansive documentation ever recorded of the algae octopus. I couldn't believe what I was seeing there in person witnessing this tiny little octopus pretending to be part of this plant ecosystem.
It was just so incredibly special and capped off our trip in such a magical way. So there you have it. From micro-sized seahorses to an octopus that could transform its entire body into a piece of algae, nature truly has some bizarre taste. And for Brave Wilderness, it's encounters like these that keep us exploring the underwater world because truly every single dive we take has the potential to reveal an even more unusual oceanodity. And who knows, in the expeditions to come, there could be a creature that even tops the ones on this list.
